Obituary Anthony Aubrey Kenward Gifford, OAM

Tony Gifford who passed away peacefully in Sydney Australia on 11th February aged 95 years, excelled at sport, being in the First Vs team and a member of the First Eleven Cricket team.

After Blundell’s, Tony played cricket for Kent Second XI where he was an excellent spin bowler. While with “Kent” he played cricket with many England stars.

During World War 2, Tony was commissioned as an officer in The Garwal Rifles (Indian Army) with whom he served in the Middle East. In deference to his undoubted athletic and physical abilities, he was posted to Cyprus to organise Physical Training Courses for the officers and men of the Middle East theatre. Unfortunately, he was involved in a life threatening motor accident resulting in him being re-patriated to the UK and invalided out of the Army. In 1948 Tony on the advice of his doctors, immigrated to Australia to benefit medically from a warmer climate. Here he took up a teaching appointment at Church Grammar School Tasmania followed by another teaching appointment at South Australia St Peter’s College Adelaide where one of his students was Donald Bradman’s son. Finally, he was appointed at Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga New South Wales where he worked for 32 years.

While at Knox Grammar, Tony became the Founder & Secretary of the Australian School Cricket Council from where he started Australian Youth Cricket from 1966 to 1981. Tony coached and managed Under 19 Cricket and internationally visited every Test playing country with Under 19 teams under his management. For his work he was awarded the Certificate of Distinguished Services to Australian Cricket by Jack Clark, the Chairman of “Cricket Australia”.

Additionally, In the field of sport, Tony was appointed Treasurer of Schools Rugby and was awarded Life Membership of the Australian Rugby Football School’s Union.

For 10 years Tony was secretary of the New South Wales Palm Beach Branch of the Liberal Party of Australia and received the Distinguished Long Service Award for services to the Liberal Party in 2010.

Also in 2010, Tony was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in the Queen’s Birthday honours, for services to sport and the community.

Tony’s wife Bunny pre-deceased him in 2014. They are mourned and will be sadly missed by their only daughter Andi, three grand-daughters and three great grand-sons.